“The Senate’s failure to confirm Debo Adegbile as the Justice Department’s civil rights head is a smack in the face of all Americans. It is also a betrayal to those of us that see civil rights legal work as a credible and patriotic duty of those that practice law in this country. This vote, not only denies Americans a qualified civil rights chief in Justice Department, it also says now that if you work for a civil rights legal organization and engage in cases deemed controversial that you are disqualified from high level public service. This in effect this marginalizes, if not demonizes civil rights lawyering in the country. The vote of Democrats on this is a betrayal that should not go unanswered.”